Apparatus for treating materials



C. R. MABEE. APPARATUS FOR TREATINGMA'IERIALS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23| I9I5.

Patented Feb. 3,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I IIN Q) bw l III I xmx IIIIII C. R. MABEE.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING MATERIALS.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 2a, 1915.

Patented Feb. 3,1920.

2 SHEETS- SHEET "UNITED sTATEs l.PATENT oEEToE CHARLES R. MABEE, Oli TOLEDO, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING MATERIALS.

. Application filed October 23, 1915.

is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an apparatus for treating liquid substance or substances con# taining liquid to cook, or otherwise change the condition or consistency thereof by evaporation of the liquid, and While useful in many arts for the treatment of various materials, is more especially adapted for the treatment of tomatoes, and tomato products, such as catchup.

It 'is one of the primary objects of the invention to provide means whereby the material to be cooked or otherwise treated is subjected to continuous movement in layer formation over a cylindrical treating surface and While under substantially uniform pressure, it being understood in this oonnection, of course, that the treating surfacey has applied thereto a temperature different from that of the material to be treated.

A further object of the invention 1s to provide means for simultaneously imparting rotatable movement to a circular layer of the material over the treating surface,

and for cutting up or disintegrating into relatively iine particles, the material, thereby resulting in more uniform treatment of f the various parts of the layer formation and higher temperature transmission, and incidentally materially shorteningthe time of operation.

In the treatment of materials, such as tomatoes or catchup, it is desirable to subject the same to a high temperature, say approximately 235 degrees, whereby to thoroughly cook and sterilize the products, that the same may keep the required length of time,I and it 1has been ascertained t at by the provision of a closed cylindrical retainer, with means exterior of the container 'for applying a high degree of temperature to the treating surface, and means Within the container, rapidly moving adjacentv said surface to apply a continuously moving layer of the material across and over the surface While under a given pressure, the operation is more expeditiously Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb, 3, v1920. Serial No. 57,471.

lvention resides in the provision of means,

whereby the required or desired internal pressuremay be maintained, in a substantially uniform manner throughout the treatment, and whereby the vapors and gases are allowed to escape from the container only when this pressure is exceeded.

It is also contemplated by the invention, to provide means whereby the escape of vapors or gases from the normally Vclosed container may be accurately regulated at will, it being obvious that according to certain treatments,I the desirable pressure to be maintained Will differ.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a single machine, a combined cooker, dlsmtegrator, and evaporator, for the treatlment of material such as tomatoes, catchup,

rangement of the various vparts of the inyention will be understood by those skilled 1n the art from thev description to follow when considered in connection with the acrefer to corresponding parts throughout .the several views, Il is an elongated cylindrical container, the Vsame preferably extending substantially horizontally, though of course,

it is within the contemplation of the invention to otherwise dispose the cylinder, for instance at a slight inclination toward the outlet endthereof. ,Surrounding the wall space 3 for the .reception of a -heat transmitting medium which inv the referred enl-v bodim'ent' 'of the invention ta res the form of steam at a high heat..

A suitable inlet lconduit 4f for the steam is provided, the conduit a communicating with the space 3 and. connecting at its opposite end with any suitable source ofsup* ply, and said. conduit is preferably valve controlled as indicated at 5. A. suitable outlet 6 for the condensed steam or water of condensation is provided, preferably adjacent the outlet endi of the container, the same also being preferably valve-controlled,

as indicated at.; rl`h`efcontainer is supported in any desired manner as by suitable standards 8. rlhe end walls of the container are preferably closed as illustrated, though it is desirable to provide removable closures such as plates '9 and 9a, overlying end openings 10 and 1l respectively. Y These plates 9.and 9Xt are removably supported in any desired manner as by bolts l2 to the end that the' plates may be removed as desired for purposes of cleansing theinterior partsof the mechanismq or in the event 1t 1s desired to leave one or both of the ends open for the free discharge of vapors and gases.

An inlet for the material to be treated is provided adjacent one end of the container as indicated at 13, said inlet preferably taking the form of a conduit or pipe adapted to receive its supply from any suitable source to deliver into the interior of the cylinder in a tangential direction. A suitable valve 14: may be provided to regulate the supply of material and by adjusting the valve, it will be observed that the thickness of the layer of material to be presently described is regulated at will.

A shaft l5 is arranged within the container substantially centrally thereof, the same projecting beyond opposite ends of the container and preferably supported from upright rests 16. The shaft projects at one end beyond the adjacent support 16 and is adapted to be rotated relative to the supports and wall of the container at a high y speed, in any desired manner. A convenient form of drive is illustrated in the drawings, the same comprising a pulley 17 fixed upon the shaft and adapted to be driven as by a `.ebelt 18, whichlatter is cut-away in the illustration but is adapted to be driven from any suitable source not shown.

Mounted upon the shaft l5 for rotatable movement therewith is suitable conveyer mechanism, which said conveyer mechanism has operatively associated therewith means for disintegrating the material during the treatment thereof, and these parts in the embodiment of the invention .illustrated are constructed substantially as follows:

Suitable webs or supports 19 are secured to the shaft within thecontainenadjacent opposite ends thereof, it being understood in this connection however, that other intermediate supports may be provided if desired. nnular anges20 are provided at the periphery of the supports 19 and projecting between said supports 19 are suitable bars 2l, the latter being secured to the annular flanges 20 in any desired manner as byl removable bolts 22. Conveniently, two' of such bars are employed, arranged opposite to one another, though the number of said bars may vary as desired. rllhe bars 2l preferably have anloutwardly extending flange 22a', which flanges constitute the conveyer members proper and are preferably of considerable depth, because of the fact that it is desirable at times in the treatment of material to form the same in an annular layer of considerable thicknesses, say inches.

'While it is obvious that independent disintegrating devices may be employed in connection with the conveyer mechanism, it has been found convenient and quite satisfactory to utilize the blades or flanges 22a for this purpose, and with this in view, the outer edges of the blades 22a which assume a position in contact with or adjacent to the inner surface of the container are provided with a series of cut-out parts, slits or notches 23, which in the movement of the conveyer members are adapted to disintegrate the mass of material into minutely divided particles. An outlet for the treated material is arranged adjacent the rearv end of the machine and conveniently takes the form of a conduit or` piping 24 connecting with the interior of the container tangentially asA illustrated. A. suitable valve 25 of any desired construction, may be interposed vin said conduit 24, whereby to regulate the discharge of the treated material. It will be miderstood that the conveyer members being driven at a high rate of speed through the med'um of the shaft 15 and associated parts, the ymaterial as fed into the machine, will becontacted with by the conveyer mecha- It is highly desirable to provide means whereby the vapors and gases within the central quiet' zone can be maintained within the cylinder during the cooking operationv and until it is desirable to commence evaporation, and means is provided whereby after the internal pressure has increased, say be yond approximately twenty four pounds ab` solute, the vapors and gases are permitted to escape.

With this in view, a suitable pressure or relief valve mechanism is provided, the

same being preferably connected to one of the removable end plates, and conveniently made up as follows:

An opening 26 is provided in the end wall 9 the wall surrounding the opening being shaped to constitute a valve seat 27. Fitted within said opening is a suitable cup-shaped valve 28 normally held to the seat as by a spiral spring 29, `fitted within the valve and adapted at'its free end to contact with the'suitable abutment 30 on an adjusting nut 3l having 'a threaded engagement 32 with the wall of the opening 26. The opening 26 is preferably enlarged as at 26a and the yside wall of the valve member 28 is conveniently provided with one or more openings 32n adapted to communicate with the enlarged chamber 26 whereby when the valve is unseated, the vapors and gasesare permitted to ow from the central quiet zone of the container into the chamber 26a and thence into the valve member to the ports 32a. The cap or nut 31' has an opening therein leading t the outside, if desired, but in the illusf t ation connecting with ya suitable conduit 33 to be delivered wherever desired, and quite useful in the eventA it is desired to enlploy the discharged vapors in connection with ya multiple effect apparatus.

It will be understood that thel tension of p the spring 29 is such that it will normally hold the valve 26 to its seat, whereby to prevent any escape of the vapors or gases until' the desired internal pressure has beenV ya suitab eindex finger or pointer 35. In

this way, the operator may accurately determine the amount of movement in either direction 'of the nut 31, necessary for the given pressure at which it is desired that the valve should be open. v

In operatin, thematerial is fed into the cylindrical -container through the conduit 13, when it will be immediatelyprojected onto and over the interior treating surface of the container, assuming a layer formation. Steam .under pressure entering into be adjusted, to

o the nut and to form on the nut action of the apparatus, the material will` not tend to cling to the surface, or become scorched or otherwise injured.4 The shaft l5 rotating at a very high speed, the conveyer members maintain under centrifugal force,a continuous circular layer df the ma terial adjacent to or in contact with the surface and under continuous rotatable movement over said surface. The valve remaining closed against its seat, the cooking operation of the material is continued, until the predetermined internal pressure is obtained, when the valve will become automatically unseated-to discharge the vapors or gases, and in this way, the internal pressure is maintained uniform.

It is found that the temperature in the closed container bears a given relation with the pressure and is equal in all directions. The high temperature due to the nature of the heat transmitting medium employed herein namely steam, tends to break down the cellular and librous substances, and the fact that the material is cooked under pres-` subjected to the disintegrating effect Vof the teeth at the outer edges of the conve er members, the time of operation is consi er-l 'ably shortened.

After the cooking has been completedand it is desirable to commence eva-poration, the valve may be so adjusted that it will readily open at a slight pressure, whereby to provide in edect, a continuous outlet for the discharge of the vapors and gases until evaporation has been completed.

If desired, a suitable pump diagrammatically illustrated at 36, may be employed, whereby to pump the products into the container through. the conduit 13,- andinterposed in the outlet conduit 24 may be provided a suitable trap, it being. understood however that the product when desired might' be delivered from the machine and through the trap and of its own pressure.

What I claim 1. In an apparatus for treating substances containing liquid to change the consistency thereof by evaporation, the combination of a cylindrical container, the inner wall of which constitutes a treating surface, means for 'maintaining under substantially continuous movement a circular layer of the ma terial adjacent said 'surface and for maintaining a central zone for the vapors, said container having an inlet and outlet for the material, and an outlet opening for the discharge of the vapors, and means normally closing the vapor outlet opening, said means bein adjustable to permit the escape of vapor rom said zone.

2. In an apparatus for treating substances containing liquid to evaporate liquid constituents thereof, the combination of a substantially cylindrical container the inner wall of which constitutes a treating surface, means within the container for maintaining A the material under substantial continuous movement in layer formation adjacent said surface, said container having end walls with an opening in one of said walls for the escape of vapors, and means mounted on said wall adjacent said opening automatically operable to regulate the escape of vapors from the containers.

3. In an evaporating apparatus, the combination of a substantially cylindrical heated container, material engaging means within the container, means foi` relatively rotating one of the parts comprising the container and said means whereby the material is applied in layer formation upon the interior surface of the container and whereby there is maintained a central zone within the layer of material for the reception of vapors, said container having an outlet opening for the vapors, and means. for normally closing said opening, said means being constructed and arranged whereby it automatically 'opens to discharge the vapor upon an excess of pressure.

4. In an evaporator, the combination of a lsubstantially cylindrical externally heated container, means extending longitudinally of the containeradjacent the interior treat ing surface thereof,` said container having an inlet for the material adjacent one end yand a discharge outlet adjacent its opposite end, means for imparting relative rotation 'between said longitudinally extending means and the container at a high speed whereby the material is subjected to continuous circumferential movement in layer formation and whereby there is maintained Within the layer a central zone for the escape of vapors, one of the end walls of the container having a vapor discharge outlet in communication with said central zone, and means for normally closing said vapor A outlet, said means being adjustable whereby to permit the discharge of vapor throng said outlet.

5. In an apparatus for cooking or evaporating substances containing liquid, the combinatlon of a substantially cylindrical container having an inlet adjacent one end and an outlet adjacent thel opposite end, means for applying to the wall of the vcontainer a temperature different from that of the material under treatment, means adjacent the surface of the` container and rotatable at a high speed whereby to apply and maintain under continuous circumferential and simultaneous endwise movement and under pressure a circular layer of the material, and whereby to maintain al central zone for the escape of vapors, the end walls of the container being normally closed, and a valve controlled outlet in one of said end walls for the escape of vapor from said zone.

6. In an apparatus for treating liquid substances to change the condition thereof by evaporation, the combination of a hoi'iapparatus for treating liquid` sol drical container, means for applying to the wall thereof a temperature different from that of the material being treated, and a combined conveyer and dlsintegrating device of integral construction arranged adjacent the interior surface of the container, means for rotating said device at a high speed whereby to simultaneouslyl disintegrate the material and cause the same to assume a continuous movable circular layer formation in Contact with the inner surface of the container. j

8. In `an apparatus for treating liquid substances to change the condition thereof by evaporation, the combination of a cylindricalcontainen means for applying to the wall thereof a temperature different from that of the material being treated, and a combined conveyer and disintegrating device arranged adjacent the interior surface of the container, means for rotating said device at a high speed whereby to simultaneously disintegrate the material and cause the same to assume a continuous movable circular layer formation in contact with the inner surface of the container, said container having closed ends and a controllable outlet in one end for the discharge of the vapors and gases.

9. In an apparatus for treating substances to evaporate the liquid therefrom, the combination of a cylindrical container, and means rotatable within the container forv rapid rotation whereby to form the contamed material into a cylindrical layer under continuous rotation, said means comprising an elongated strip of material extending longitudinally of the inner surface of the container and adjacent said surface,

it'or rapid rotation whereby to form the contained material into a cylindrical layer under continuous rotation, said means com.- prising an elontlgated` longitudinally extend ing strip of material having an integral cutting edge to disintegrate the substance being treated.

ll., .ln an apparatus for treating substances containinLe liquid to change the consistency thereof by evaporation7 the comloination of a cylindrical containery the inner 'Wall of 'which constitutes a treating surface, means tor applying lieat to said Wall sufficient to evaporate liquid constitu-4 ents of the material, said container having an inlet adgacent one end for tlie material, and an outlet adgacent its opposite end for the treated material, and means for maintaining under substantially continuous movement a circular layer of the material adjacent said surface, and for maintaining a central zone for the vapors, said means comprising a plurality of circuinterentially spaced elongated metallic strips extending longitudinally oit' and arranged adjacent to the treating surface, said strips 'having grooves in the outer edge thereof, Vand a rapidli7 rotatable shaft upon which Asaid strips are mounted, and said container iiavin an outlet opening for the vapors 'from said central zone.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

v CHARLES R. MABEE. 

